Sliding door unit



March 22, 1960 Filed May 5, 1958 29D 29or 28 A. W. BECKSTROM SLIDING DOOR UNIT 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.3A

INVENTOR. August W Bec/rsfrom d HIS ATTORNEYS March 22, 1960 A. w. BEcKsTRoM 2,929,115

SLIDING DOOR UNIT v Filed May 5, 1958 s sheets-sher 2 F l' 6 F l a. 5 VENTOR.

Augusj W Becksfrom BY au ,717cm z/MV H/s 4,a Tryon/v5 Ys March -292, 1960 Filed May 5, 1958 A. w. Br-:cKsTRoM 2,929,115

SLIDING DOOR UNIT 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. August W Bec/rsfrom HIS A TTORNE YS United States Patent 2,929,115 sLmlNG Doon UNrr august w. uucksuum, pittsburgh, 13u. Applicatiuu Muy s, 195s, serai Nu. 733,1@ .1 Claim. (Cliofla This invention pertains to sliding door constructions and particularly, toa door unit having at least a pair of doors, one of which is an outer door and the other of which is an inner door, and both of which are mounted in a slidable relationship within a frame and with respect to each other to comprise a wall unit.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my application Ser. No. 327,806, filed December 24, 1952, now abandoned, and entitled Sliding Door Unit.

My construction has been devised to meet the problem heretofore presented in providing a door system, construction, or unit which will be simple and easy for the buider to install, which will have a pleasing appearing eifect, such that it may be used indoors, which will avoid warpage and binding in operation, which will be foolproof from the standpoint of permanance of installation when once installed, and which will be fully safe and avoid pinching of the fingers in its use, as well as avoid any possibility of falling from its hangers when in a mounted position.

I have found that there are a number of important factors in such a door construction. It should have an overhead track member or structure that will not only assure a free and'easy movement of the doors, but will prevent viewing the hangers from the front. Itv should also provide a nish for the construction without an additional finish member, should segregate the doors in their operation and installation and particularly, should positively prevent removal of the front door, other than from the end of the frame structure. A further factor is to so construct and guide the doors as to avoid warpage or bending them out of shape and to assure free movement without wear and tear on the doors, and further, in such a manner as to maintain their free and easy movement, as effected by rollers or end hangers.

It has thus been an object of my invention to provide a new door unit which will meet the problem presented by the above and other factors;

Another object has been to provide a new and improved sliding door construction and operative mounting;

Another object has lbeen to devise a door construction or unit which will be inexpensive to manufacture and install and which, when installed, will be fool-proof in operation and will require minimum maintenance;

A further object of my invention has been to provide a door construction that will prevent and guard against warpage of doors that use materials such as wood and plyl wood for body portions thereof;

A still further object of my invention has been to devise a substantially self-lubricating type of sliding door construction and Aof such type that it will always present a pleasing appearance, whether open or closed; t

These and other objects of my invention will appear to those skilled in the art fromthe illustrated embodiment.

In the drawings, i

Figure 1 is a front .view in elevation showing a door constructin .0f my inventionwith its doors in a closingoif relationship with respect to a closet or door space; in

, 2,929,115 Matata 1969 this view, the width has been narrowed from that. represented in Figure 4' in order to show 'the strnctrewith in the space provided;

Figure 2 is an enlarged end view in elevation and' and talen along the line Ill-K -II vof* fully closed relationship'of Figure Figure 3A is a greatly "rueducetlhtlrzcntal Section Shawing the doors in theclose'd position of'Figure' 3,but'illustrating a modified construction; i" Figure 4 lis a' horizontalv section also taken along line III-HL bul Showing'lhe'fmm. C1901" U'a flllly OPGD PSf tion wherein it overlaps the backdoor; this view is 'onthje same scale as Figure; "l

Figure 5 ,is an enlarged fragmented perspetive View on the scale of `Figure 2 `and"illustrating arail member of such figure; 1.. I.. u

Figure 6 is a -fragmental perspectiveview on vthe scale of Figures 2` and 5l and illustrating'a Ybottom guide strip member employed in' theconstruction o f Figure 2;

Figure 7 is a perspective detail in elevation showing the construction of hanger and 'roller' means, landFigures 8 and 9 are similar views on the samescale showing stop bumper means and bottom'guid'e nie sgalso employed'in the construction'of Figures'l and/2; I' "i Y' Figures 10 and 1l are fragmental perspective views in elevation on the 'sc'aleof Figures iilto 9 and showing de;- tails of the construction of doorframing membersernployed in the structure'A of Figures 1` and Figure 12 is a perspetivefra'gmental v iew'gin elevation on the scale of Figure Z'and illustratingdetailsv ofthe construction of upper guide pieces r membersandtleir operativerelationsliip with Van associating rail'Y ember of FigureS.'

Referring particularly to Figures 1 and 2 o f the drawings, I have shownaidoor construction made up? of apair of sliding door members ltlan'd ljlffthat-are operatively mounted within'enclosing rectangular framework that has a bottom sill franienrember' 7', side framemember's il, and'head jamb, top'frame' or'lint'el member 9 I'he enclosing frameworkmay correspond depth'to that'of the wall within which it` is' ni'ounte'tlandimaybeiof' anyjsuit. able materiah'such 'as wood, yplastic or metal. In' accordance with my invention, thelframeworki'rnayhave substantially planarfaces or lst lrtaces *'vxlv'ongitds` :full inner periphery, withoutv any speialindentations vor offsets 'for mounting my door construction. 'l y Although any suitable type of door body may :be used, I have found plywood vand other ytypes oflaminated'materials suitable because of their lightness of'weight,"although such materials have`v altendency to-warp under various conditionsjof temperature and humidity. l ypositively prevent warping by providing the outer Aand inner door members orpanels "10 and'll with'atfpaifoffsidemounted, edge-enclosing, uprightv orver'tical,L channelshaped, metal finish strips or trim members 13"afnil"f1'4 which may'be fastened to the doors `by flush-mounted screws 1.5. The screwslS extend through holes `13a 'and 14a in the members into the body of the door'members (see particularly Figures 3, 4, l0 and 11). A iller strip lila of the door body material is shown in serted'within the chamber dened by the back portions of special jtrirn member '14." As shown particularly in Figure 3, box-like back side of special Atrim member 14 thus serves vto'notonly endwise close-,off spacingfbet'ween the pair of doors'lvandfll, but 'serves s 1a cooperating guide 'surface'with' Ainner ange portions of e end trim member 13 ofthe hackdoor 11. "As `shown vviii Figures 2 and 11, the special trim member 14 (also a guide member) is c utout at its top end on its box-like guide side to provide a vertical edge portion 14C and a horizontal edge portion Y14d that define an oset step t0 cooperate with and clear aback ange portion or fascia 25e' of rail member 25. The box-like side of the special trim member 14 isprovided by widening its web portion vand turning-in its lengthened back flange to define a spaced-rim portion 14b.

The` front door along its outer (leading) edge, and the back door 11 along its outer (leading) andinner edges, employ the same type of end trim members 13 (shown also in Figure 10.) which not only closely abut 'against the side edges of their respective doors, but also closely abut along inner and outer sidesor faces of their bodies. The front door 10 isprovidedfwith the special type of edge trim member y14 Aalo'ngfit's inner edge.

'To`facilitate openingandelosin'g rthe doors 10 and 1l, I have provided tingerftip insertsor elements "12` of-suitable material, such as metal (see Figurey l), that ,aid in moving or slidingjthe doorswitbin the openings delined bythe frame members. As shown', the inserts 12 are vertically spaced with respect tofeach other and are `lo'ac'zted of the doors 10"l and 11.

In Figures l, 2, and 6, I have shown back-mounted, bottom slide-guide strips or members 17 for each door. As particularly shown in Figures 3 and 6, the'strips 17, oa suitable material such Vas aluminum, are provided with horizontally spaced-,apart and vertically-elongated holes 17b forvreceiving mounting means, such as screws 18, so that they may be adjustably secured on or fastened to back sides or faces of each of the doors 10 and 11, along their `lower edges or reaches. The elongated slots 1'7b permit' adjustment for clearance spacing along the bottom edges ofthe door and the bottom sill 7 to provide a properly mounted relationship with respect to bottom or oor slide-guide shoes, elements or mounts 19. The guide members or strips 17 also aid the trim members 13 and 14 in preventing warpage of the door bodies.

t IY have provideda slide-guide mount or shoe 19 for each door. Each mount 19 is secured in position to the bottom sill 7 of the framework (see Figure 4) near overlapping reaches of the doors 10 and 11, when the doors are in .their fully closed relationship with respect to the frame opening see` Figures 3 and 4). This positively-operatively retains `the guide strip member17 of each of the doors 10 and 11 in position, irrespective of the position of door movement within the framework.

` IAs shown particularlyin Figures 2 and y6, each bottom l guide strip or member 17 has a substantially planar web vor mounting plate portion 17a that is adapted to abut lagainst the door.

A backwardly-oifset unitary or onepieceA `dowriwardly-exteriding guide apron portion 17d projects from a rounded guide shoulder portion 17C subs tantiallyintermediate the vertical extent of the web portion 17a, to thus define an inner guide which converges Aupwardly and is rounded at its apex to correspond with .or complementvupper rounded guide edge 19e (see particularly Figure 9) of a guide lug portion 19a of the guide mount 19. The member 17 may be of extruded aluminum to provide a self-lubricating slide action with the guide lug portion 19a of its cooperating guide mount 19. Each guide mount 19 has a base or mounting portion 19b and suitably spaced-apart holes v19a' for receiving frame mounting screws 20 (see particularly Figure 2).

The front door 10 carries a bumper or stop element 21 adjacent its leading edge, in order (as shown in Figure 4) to limit its maximum open position and to make possible moving both doors from the right hand position in Figure 4 `to the left hand position when the operator inserts his 'fingers in the grip inserts 12 ofthe back door 11. The r'bumper or stop element 21 (shown in Figure 8) has 'Arnounting anges 21aV and 21j that are provided with suitable screw lholes 2lb to receive door-mounting screws,

V such as 1'8. r:'An'rangle portionv adjacent to the leading or inner edges of each Zlc projects outwardly at substantially right angles from front mount portion 21a of the stop element and is connected by an apex 21d to a backwardly-diverging intermediate portion 21e from which back mount portion 21jc extends. A suitable bumper insert, such as of rubber or resilient plastic 22, has a head to mount it Within a hole in the projecting portion 21e. It will be noted that the bumper 22 strikes against an outer edgeY linish member 13 of the back door 11. 1 1

The doors l0 and 11 are each shown provided with a pair of upwardly-projecting hanger members 23 (see par ticularly Figures jl,y 2 and 7),. t Each hanger member 23 has a mounting plate portion 23a that is shown provided with four mounting screw holes '23h having a rectangular positioning thereabout and a central vertically-elongated slot or hole 23e. This construction facilitates the mounting of each hanger member 23. That is, a bolt or mounting screw 16 isiirstsecured to the door body, somewhat centrally `through.the elongated hole 23C, and is then tightened-downA after the hanger 23 has been properly adjusted for a proper positioning on the door. At this time, the screws 16 may be then mountedthrough the holes 2312 to provide asecure support for the doors adjacent their corners.

The mounting portion23aof each hanger 23 is connected by 'a backwardly-projecting 'shoulder 23d to an upwardly-projecting Vwheel-carrying ange portion 23e. It will be noted that the portions 23a and 23e are olset with respect to each other, but lie in substantially parallel vertical planes. A pin shaft 24 is secured centrally of the portion 23e by a attened lhead 24a to project backwardly therefrom and carrj/a `fixed spacer collar 29a, pulley race 29b,l and pulley guide ange 29C. Theback end of the pin shaft 24 is spread Vat 24b to securely and rigidly hold the portions 29a, 291i, and 29e on the pin shaft 24 and in abutment against the backface of the portion 23e of the hanger member 23. As shown particularly in Figure 2, the race 2917 carries a series of small roller balls 26, therealong that ride within an inner annular groove portion of a roller wheel 27 which may be of a suitable material, such as nylon plastic. As also shown in Figure 2, the wheel 27 has three operating annular faces 27a, 27b and 27C which are substantially iiat, but have'an'angular relationship with respect to each other.

One-piece, inverted U-shaped track or rail member 2S (as shownrin Figures 2 and 5) has a top web or mounting portion 25a that is provided with-horizontally spacedapart mounting holes 25h to receive vmounting bolts or member 9 of the framework to project fully between the Vupright side frame members 8. The rail member 25 has a front fascia or flange portion 25e thatY projects vertically downwardly. therefrom and isY shown provided with a iiuted front iinish face portion 25d for appearance purposes. The construction of the member 25 is unitary and may be of extruded material, such as aluminum. It also has a downwardly-backwardly projecting trackway comprising a Yvertically-parallel back fascia or flange portion 25e', the lower portion of whose front face is also tinted to define a front finish face 25d' to a depth or vertical extent corresponding to the front sight below the apex or joint of portions 25e and 25j. Both fascia portions 25e and 25e' have similar rails made up of backwardlydiverging or projecting rail or wing portions 25e and 25e' and upwardly-diverging or projecting rim or rail portions 25j and 25j'. The portions 25j and 25f have substantially vertically-parallel end abutment faces 25g and 25g' that serve as cooperating abutments with the portions 23e of the hanger members 23. As shown particularly in Figure 2, the inclination or slope of the rail or angle portions .25e and 25e' and 25f and 25]" correspond respectively to the inclined side faces or side peripheral bands 27b and 27e of the roller wheels 27. It willbe noted that the side bands decline from a central peripheral band 27a iiange portion 30e that is adapted to abut upon wear and warpage throughout their period of and ride in abutment with the rail or' angle portions of the associated trough to thereby center the roller on the trough and provide' longitudinal line contacts along opposed portions of the trough. As shown in Figures l, 2 and l2, the inner door 11 is provided with a pair of angle-shaped top or upper metal guides, track lock pieces or elements 30 that are `mounted adjacent the hangers 23. The top guides' 30 have a vertical mounting portion 30d that is slotted at 30b to adjustably receive a door-mounting screw or bolt 31.` The portion 30a is integral with a backwardly-projecting guide the top edge of the door 11 on which it is mounted.v As shown,

the portions 30a and 30e deiine an angle shape'a'nd 'are substantially perpendicular to each other.

The Kback Afascia portion 25e' has a number of furietions; it provides an upright portion that hides that back Vhangers 23 when the sliding doors are in their mounted position; it also serves as a limit stop along its bottom portion for the front door 10. From Figure 2,`i tv is apparent that the top portion 25a cooperates with rollers or wheels 27, the portions 25e and 2 5f, and the hanger vmembers 23 to positively prevent the rollers 27 of the front door from being removed by tilting it forwardly or backwardly and then lowering it between the abutment g and the front of the fascia 25e. It will be noted that the space between 25g and 25e is less than the overall width extent of the hanger 23 and the pulley wheel r27 of the front door 10. Also, the spacing between the rim or outer periphery of each roller 27 and the inside face of the portion 25a is less than the vertical depth of the groove portion defined by 25e and 251. Each top guide or track lock piece 30 of the door 11 has an upper portion 30e` (see particularly Figure 12) that rides in close adjacency to the apex or angle joint between the rail portions 25e and 25)". This assures only an end removal of the door 11 from its mounting structure, as do the above-described features for the front door 10.

I have found that by providing the guide mounts 19 and the wheel 27 of a suitable material such as nylon, that the doors are fully sound-proof, even if the other structure is of metal. There is a full ease of self-lubricating action that is made possible thereby.

As shown, trackways deiined by the integral portions 25e and 25J and 25e and 25)" of the member 25 are of upwardly-open angle shape, and importantly, provide a roller-receiving trough that is located vertically above lower portions or reaches of the fascia 25C and 25e'. Also, the rollers 27 ride in a vertical spacing that is defined between the inside surface of the web portion 25a, as to door 10 (between the inside surface of the lintel member 9, as to the door 11), and the trackway provided by such trough. The annular intermediate face or central peripheral band of substantially flat section 27a of each roller 27 is shown complementary or parallel with the surfaces of the web 25a and the lintel 9 and as spaced above the upwardly-open joint of the trough.

It will be noted that the shape and positioning of the hangers 23 and their rollers 27 is such for each door that the upper reaches of thedoor project above the lower reaches of the front and back fascia, and the door is vertically supported or suspended along the trough of its trackway for rolling movement substantially in alignment with or along the vertical center of gravity of its panel body. In accordance with my invention, I provide a door construction for a framed doorway whose sliding doors are positively guided and protected from scutiing,

The trim members for the door bo'dy or panel, the bottom guide members, the angle brackets, the hangers and the lintel-engaging members, are shown of a relatively rigid (metal) one-piece construction. This is particularly important from the standpoint of the lintelengaging member, in that it assures a foolproof mounting and operating relationship of the doors. Multi-part utilization.

j bly position the `front and back doors members are eliminated to always v'assure a smooth and tr'uble-fre"'opeatiiig relationship of the doors, without therriount'ing diicul'ties/and the inherent'weaknesses and loosening v'cha'racteristics `-of multi-part members. The rollers 27 aswell as .the bottom guide shoes l19 are of a resinous or plastic` type of material such as to provide a self-lubricating, soundproof and friction-minimizing sliding or rolling positioning of the doors.A e

Further, the members in their mounted relationship as tothe door structure, all contribute to an accurately aligned and guidably mounted operation of the door members. In this connection, as shown in Figure 2, the somewhat channel shape of the relatively rigid finish member"14 slidably-guidably cooperates with ,the outer iinish member 13 of the other door 1,1, t0 not only closeoit'the endspacing therebetween, but to, in eiect, guidawith respect to eachA other (see Figure 3) and protect theirpanel or body portions.

In addition, as shown in Figure 2, the trim member 14 has an offset upper end to receive the lower reaches of the back fascia 25e' and guidably cooperate therewith to further aid in retaining the doors in a proper mounted relationship. The `angle brackets vor members 30 which are mounted on the -back4 face of each door to project along its upper edge, provide a cooperating door-guiding relationship with the associated trough or the joint of such trough along which the door moves (see Figures 2 and 12). The bottom guide member 17 of each door of somewhat inverted y-shape has an enclosing chamber that is defined by its back mounting plate 17a and its front apron portion 17d to guidably receive the tongue or lug portion 19a of an associated guide shoe 19. This fully protects the `back sides of the doors 10 and 11 from wear and tear and provides a positive, but smooth and accurate guided operating relationship for the bottom reaches of the doors.

The door trim member construction of Figures 3 and 4 is the preferred type and may be employed for paintgrade doors. Where veneer doors are to be used and the customer wishes to avoid any metal showing, then the modified trim construction of Figure 3A may be used. As shown, the front door 10.has full length vertical end strip members of wood or plastic instead of channelshaped metal construction. As indicated, the front edge has a full width and length wood strip member 32 which is secured to the leading or outer edge of the door 10 by Hush-mounted wood screws 33.

The back or inner edge of the front door 10` is provided with a double-width strip 34 which is also secured thereto by flush-mounted screws 33 and cooperates with and hides a cooperating metal channel guide part or member 35. As shown, the channel member 35 has one of its iianges in abutment with and hidden as to end-sight by the strip 34 and it is secured in place to the back side of the door 10 by a series of vertically-'spaced wood screws 36. The channel member 35 thus serves as a wear and guide strip or back trim member which cooperates with the inner channel-shaped metal trim member 13 of the back door 11, in the same manner as backwardly-projecting portions of the trim member 14 of thefront door 10 of the embodiment of Figure 3 cooperates with the trim member 13 of the back door 11. The front or leading edge of the back door 11 also has a wood strip 32 secured in place by Hush-mounted screws 33.

As shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, the shoe element 19 has a planar front face that is complementary with the planar outer side of the web or plate por-tion 17a of the bottom guide member 17. The shoe 19* also has a back face that slopes or diverges outwardly-downwardly and is thus complementary with the sloped inner face of the apron portion 17d of the bottom guide member. Although I have only shown track lock elements 30 for the inner door 1'1. to cooperate with and guide it with respect to the joint. or the apex formed by the portions e and 15J" and restrict vertical movement of the door to preventv a back or front removal of the `door from its mounted position on thetrack, they are unnecessary for this purpose as to thefront door. 10. However, they may be employed with theV front door 10 in a like manner to supplement the track-position-maintaining action of the other parts as to the rollers 27, but primarily, to provide a topv protective guide means `for the top Yedge of the door. I also contemplate Yemploying projecting handle or'grip members, at least as to the outer door l10, in place of the inset finger grip elements 12. It will be noted in Figure 2 that the horizontal or Width extent of the roller and hanger suspension assemblies f or'the outer or front door 10' is greater than the-f horizontal opening or width spacing between the back fascia 25e and the endv abutment 25g "of the trough of the traclvlfay of the front fascia 25C. As a result, front or back removal or the door 10 is prevented. Thus, means is provided to prevent front-back or side-swing removal of both the sliding doors and to limit them to endwise removal.

Whatl claim is:

A rolling door construction formounting within an enclosing smooth Wall framework without track indenta tions in a bottom member of the framework which comprises, an upright front door panel and an upright back door panel, said door panels having 'edge-enclosing metal channel members mounted thereon to'prevent warpage, a back edge enclosing channel of said iront door having backwardly-projecting portions of 'box-like shapel defining an operating spacing between s'aidfront and back door panels, a metal bottom guide strip membermounted along back sides oi' each of said door panels adjacent their lower edges, eachV of said bottom guide strip members being of one-piece construction and having a face mounting plate secured to the respective door panel and having a vertically-intermediate shoulder projecting backwardly therefrom and terminating in a downwardly and backwardly inclined apron to define a guide chamber with respect to said mounting plate, a guide shoe for each of said doors secured to the bottom member of the' framework and having a guide lug projecting upwardly therefrom into the guide chamber. of an associated bottom guide strip member, said guide shoes being of plastic construction to provide a self-lubricating. action with respect to walls of the guide chamber of their associated bottom guide strip member, a one-piecemetal channel member tance than said fascia to a position wholly above lower reaches of said fascia, said front fascia providing a front facing for the trackway for said front door panel, said back fascia providing a front facing for said back door panel and a back facing forsaid front door panel, each of said traekways having an upwardly-open angle-shaped roller-receiving trough, a pair of 'hanger brackets secured to a back face of eachv of said door. panels and each having a forwardly-offset upwardly-projecting portion, said upwardly-projecting portion of each of said hangers having a forwardly-projecting mounting shaft, .trackwayengaging rollersof plastic material rotatably journaled on said shafts to project forwardly of their associated hanger brackets and engage within thetroughs of an associated trackway to provide a self-lubricating rolling action with said troughs, metal guide piecesof angle-shape secured to project from a back face of said back door panel along an upper edge thereof and in a spaced relationship beneath its said trackway to guide said door therealong and protect it from direct engagement with said trackway, and fingergrip means positioned along leading edges'of said front and back door panels on their front faces to facilitate rolling them along said trackways.

References Cited inthe le of this para?,

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